Multiple needle sewing machine



Dec. 11, 1934. E. E. BOYCE MULTIPLE NEEDLE SEWING MACHINE Filed Jan. 12,1952 5 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY.

Dec. 1 1, 1934. E, E, BOYCE MULTIPLE NEEDLE SEWING MACHINE Filed Jan.12, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTORNEY.

. 11, '1934. E. E. BOYCE MULTIPLE NEEDLE SEWING MACHINE Filed Jan. 12,1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN V EN TOR.

f U M 5 f N MW 5 Y B Dec. 11, 1934. E. E. BOYCE 0 MULTIPLE NEEDLE SEWINGMACHINE Filed Jan. 12, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 I N V EN TOR.fmj/r/A/fffioyaf A TTORNEY.

Dec. 11 1934. E. E. BOYCE 1,984,330

MULTIPLE NEEDLE SEWING MACHINE Filed Jan. 12, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVEN TOR.

A TTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 11, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MULTIPLE NEEDLESEWING MACHINE Erskine E. Boyce, Gastonia, N. 0., assignor to TheBoysell Company, Gastonia, N. 0.. a corporation of North Carolina Myinvention relates to sewing machines and generally, though not in alldetails, to sewing machinespof the multiple needle or gang type.

The invention is generally adapted to machinery of the above characterwherein a plurality of needles are arranged in a common carrier orreciprocating head to pierce cloth and carry therethrough yarns orthreads so that loops will be formed on the opposite side'of the cloth,and in connection with'which there is provided a plurality of loopretaining and severing members arranged for simultaneous collec tiveoperation to provide tufting on one face of the cloth so that thefinished product will have .a tufted or pile face such as embodied inbath mats and the like.

An important object of the invention is to provide apparatus of theabove character and for accomplishing the above purpose in which theneedle carrier, tufting mechanism, and actuating mechanism thereforcomprise a comparatively simple construction. and arrangement of partseasily operated and repaired or replaced, and highly eflicient inproducing an even tufted surface on the articles manufactured thereon.

A specific object of the invention is to provide in connection with asewing machine, feeding mechanism for evenly moving a relatively widestrip of material, such mechanism being synchronized with the movementof the stitching mechanism and engaging the cloth at a point remote fromthe plane in which the needle or needles engage through the cloth.

The foregoing objects are accomplished by the provision of areciprocating carrier or head for the needlebars to move the needlesacross the path over which the cloth is moved by the feed-- ingmechanism, and providing on the opposite side of said bed a carrier forthe tufting mechanism on which are mounted a plurality of loop receivingmembers alined with the needles and adapted to be reeiprocated acrossthe path of the needles, there being provided in connection with each ofthe loop receiving members a loop severing blade preferably operable bymovement of the reciprocating carrier and loop receiving member. Underthe foregoing arrangement each time the needles descend through thecloth and form a loop, the loop receiving members move across theneedles and through the loops and the cutting blades open with respectto the loop receiving members, and then as the needles.

ascend with their carrier, the loop receiving members are movedbackwardly or in. reverse direction by their carrier and. the cuttingblades which are retained and severed in themanner above mentioned.

In connection with the foregoing, another object of the inventionresides in the provision of means for forming patterns on the cloth byautomatically making a selected needle or groups of needles ineffectiveto pierce the cloth so that there will be areas of predeterminedpatterns or designs on the cloth which have no loops or tufts when thetufting operation has been completed on the machine.

The foregoing object is accomplished by the provision of electricallycontrolled needlebar latches, there being one in connection with eachneedlebar, automatically controlled from a pattern determining formpreferably movable by and in synchronism with the feeding mechanism tomake and break circuits in which the electrical control means areinterposed for operating the latches.

Another object of the invention is to provide electrically controlledlatching means of the above character operatively associated with theneedlebar actuating parts for movement thereby.

Other specific objects and advantages of the invention and the detailsof construction and arrangement of parts utilized in the practice of theinvention will be hereinafter described and pointed out in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, wherein are shown preferred embodimentsof the invention and in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a sewingmachine and associated apparatus embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation partly in section and with parts broken awayshowing the needle frame, tufting mechanism and actuating parts;

Fig. 3 is a view taken on the line -33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2; i

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Fig. 4 showing theneedle and tufting mechanism in another position;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Figs. 4 and 5 showing the needle and tuftingmechanisms in another position;

Fig. '7 is a front elevation showing the cloth feeding and patterncontrolling mechanism;

Fig. 7a is a side view of the actuating means for the cloth feedingmechanism;

Fig. 8 is a vertical transverse sectional view through the patterncontrolling mechanism shown in Fig. 7; and

Fig. 9 is a modification of the needle releasing mechanism.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, the letter A designates a framesupporting a plurality of bobbins B from which the threads T are guidedthrough hooks or eyes H through guides G on a frame supported by thesewing machine and over tensioning guides E to the needles, (Fig. 4).Also as shown in Fig. 1, the cloth C is fed from a drum D across thesewing machine and rollers R to the feed roller F (Fig. 7)? the drum Dbeing provided with a pulley P in which is disposed a rope J one end ofwhich is secured to a fixed bracket K and the other end of the ropehaving afilxed thereto a weight W to provide a frictional restraint onrotation of the drum D. The main frame of the sewing machine isindicated by S in Fig. 1, and it supports the mechanism and parts aboutto be described in detail and including 1 the actuating mechanismindicated generally at Y in Fig. 1, and driven by the belt U whichengages the pulley V rotated by motor M in usual manner.

As shown in Fig.2 a plurality of alined needlebars 10, each shown indetail in Fig. 4 as comprising a stem 11 having a needle receivingopening in its lower end and a screw 12 tapped through said end toretain the needle, are mounted on a carrier 13, the ends 14 of which areslidably mounted on tracks 15 which are secured at opposite ends of themachine frame by bolts 16 to upright supports 17 which are held by angleirons 18 secured to the frame by bolts 19. A shaft 20 (Figs. 2, 4) isrotated by the actuating member Y (Fig. 1) and carries at spacedintervals, preferably adjacent the ends of the frame S, eccentrics 21which receive the ends 22 of rods 23, the other ends of which arepivotally connected by stub shafts 24 to the couplings 25 which may beadjustably connected to the carrier 13 by bolts 26 extending throughslots 27 and the carrier.

Still referring particularly to Figs. 2 and 4, it will be noted thatthere are also mounted on the shaft 20, preferably at regular spacedintervals a plurality of discs 28 carrying cams 29 which engage arms 30of the members 31, the upper ends of which are secured to the beam 32 bybolts 33. Before proceeding further with the description of theconstruction of the mechanisms employed, I will point out that the cams29 effect a reciprocating motion of the beam 32 through the members 31as the shaft 20 rotates, and at the same time the eccentrics 21, rods 23and couplings 25 effect a reciprocat- The beam 32 is a carrier fortufting mech anism, which, preferably, may be generally similar to andembody essential features .of the tufting mechanism shown and describedin my co-pending application, Ser. No. 5'77,81'7, filed Nov. 28, 1931,wherein there is provided a loop receiving member having a hooked endand mounted for reciprocation across the path of reciprocationof theneedle and in connection therewith a pivoted cutting blade operated bymovement of the loop receiving member to sever a loop or loops on thereceiving member. In the present application the reciprocating beam 32carriers a plurality of loop receiving members of the type abovereferred to .and each comprising a finger 34 disposed substantiallyparallel to the bed of the frame S and having at its outer end a loopretaining hook 35 (Figs. 46) There is one finger 34 for each needle andof course the fingers are positioned in alinement with the needles so asto receive the loops formed by the needles as they pierce the cloth.Each finger 34 may be provided with a notched extension 36, Fig. 5, tobe received in slots in beam 32 and in which they can be held in placeby a bar 3'7 fixed to the beam by 37. A cutting blade 38 is pivotallyconnected to each finger 34 by a pin 39, and the blade may be providedwith an arm 40 having a recess 41 in its bottom to seat on the flange 42of an angle plate 43 held in position by rods 44 which are secured tothe plate 45 by nuts 46, (Fig. 4).

The tufting mechanism just described is housed within a chamber 4'7(Fig. 4) formed by the plate-45 which has a top flange 48, a plate 49having a top flange 50 extending toward and disposed in the same planeas flange 48, and cross bars 51 to which members 31 are fulcrumed,secured to the plates 45 and 49 by bolts 52. A plate 53 is mounted overthe chamber 47 on supports 54 located on top of flanges 48 and 50, andthis plate 53 base, plurality of openings 55 alined with the needles andfingers 34. The needles reciprocate through openings 55.

It should be apparent from the foregoing that each time the eccentrics21 and rods 23 move the needle carrier 13 down the needles will piercecloth disposed over openings 55, while the cams 29 through member 31will move the beam 32 and fingers 38 toward the needles so that thefingers will pass through the loops formed below the cloth (see Fig. 4),and as the finger is so moved the blade 38 pivots on 39 and 42 to openposition with respect to the lower edge of the finger. When the needlecarrier ascends with the needles the finger retains the loop and thecams 29 move member '31 and beam 32 to the position shown in Fig. .5whereupon the blade 38 pivots reversely and closing over the edge of thefinger severs a loop, it being obvious that the relative length of theblade and finger can be varied whereby the loop just caught will not besevered until it has been moved back by the succeeding loop as explainedin my said copending application.

To progressively move the cloth across the machine to accomplish acontinuous tufting operation, I provide the arrangement of parts shownbest in Figs. 1, 7 and 7a. and partly in Fig. 2.

Referring to Figs. 1, '7 and M, an eccentric 56 is mounted on shaft 20and receives the looped end 57 of rod 58, the other end of which isdisposed against ratchet wheel 59 on shaft 60. A gear wheel 61 is keyedon shaft 60 and meshes with gear wheel 62 on a shaft 63 which rotatablycarries the roller 64 preferably roughened to frictionally engage clothC. A roller or rod 65 on frame 66 is disposed in front of the roller 64to press the cloth against the face of the roller, and the cloth can befed thereover from under the roller 64' to expose the tufted face of thecloth for ready inspection at all times during the tufting operation. Apawl or keeper 67 is pivoted at 68 to the frame to prevent backwardmovement of the wheel 59. The eccentric 56 is so positioned on the shaftrelative to the eccentrics 21 and cams 29 that the rod 58 receives aforward motion to thrust against one of the teeth on wheel 59 after theneedle carrier has ascended to remove the needles from the cloth. Itshould be apparent that the forward thrust of the rod slightly rotateswheel 59, shaft 60, gears 61 and 62 and roller 64, which latter being infrictional engagement with the cloth will move it across the bed of themachine. The ratio of gears 61 and 62 can determine the length offeeding movement imparted to the cloth.

The apparatus thus far disclosed is sufficient to efi'ect a continuousmultiple stitching and tufting operation whereby a solid tufted surfacewould be produced, but it is frequently desirable to manufacture tuftedmats and the like embodying designs by omitting tufting at predeterminedintervals to leave untufted areas which can be filled in differentcolors of threads on other machines, and I. will now describe mechanismwhich I can provide for automatically and efiiciently accomplishing thison a multiple needle machine.

In Fig. 7, the shaft 63 is connected to a gear 69 which meshes with agear 70 on a shaft 71 journaled at one end in frame S and at its otherend in a support 72 and supporting a cylinder 73 for rotation therewith.As clearly shown in Fig. 8, the cylinder 73 is provided with an innersheet of electrical conducting material 74 over which is an outer sheetof non-conducting material 75, the latter being provided with openings76, which, as shown in Fig. 7, are of different length and arranged todetermine a motif or pattern 77 on the cylinder. A plurality of fixedcontact fingers 78 are mounted through an insulating support 79 with oneend disposed against the cylinder and yieldably held in contacttherewith by springs 80 mounted on an insulating support 81 andelectrically connected to wires 82. The openings 76 are alined with .thecontacts 78 so that as the cylinder rotates with feed roll 64 at a ratiodetermined by gears 69 and 70 the contacts 78 will engage the sheet 74for predetermined intervals to establish circuits through elements andfor purposes about to be described.

Referring back to Fig. 4, it will be noted that an electro-magnet 83 issecured to the fixed support 84 which extends above and longitudinallyof the sewing machine. The wires 82 (Fig. 8) are connected to theelectro-magnet, and the wires 85 (Fig. 4) are connected to a source ofelectric energy (not shown) and which in turn is connected to theconducting sheet 74 on the cylinder 73, it being understood that suchconnections can be made with any suitable devices to establish a currentthrough the electro-magnet, contact 78, spring 80, sheet 74 andconnecting wires to energize the magnet at predetermined intervalsduring which the contact 78 engages sheet 74 through an alined opening76. The number of electro-magnets corresponds to the number ofneedlebars 10, and an armature 86 is pivotally mounted below eachelectromagnet on a rod 87 having its ends secured by screws 88 (Fig. 3)in blocks 89 carried by plates 90 of angular formation, each of saiduprights being pivotally connected as by bolts 91 to plates 92 whichmove with the needlebar carrier 13. on studs 94 at the upper ends ofplates 90 and when the needlebar carrier is in raised position therollers rest in arcuate seats 95 in the upper ends of guides 96 securedto the frame by angle irons 97 and bolts 98.

Referring particularly to Figs. 4-6, it will be noted that where thepattern forming mechanism is employed with a multiple needle machine,each of the needlebars has a portion of its upper end cut away as at 100to provide a reduced end terminating at a shoulder 101 (Fig. 6) and anintermediate portion 102 cut away to provide an elongated reduced areaterminating at shoulders 103, 104, to contact the end of a screw 105mounted through the carrier 13. The shoulder 101 on each bar is adaptedto engage the end of a movable locking member such as a pin 106 whichextends through the back of carrier 13 and the head 107 of which isnormally engaged by a spring 108 secured to the carrier 13 and urgingthe pin toward the needlebar. Each armature 86 is provided with a hook109 engageable with the head 107 of the pin when the armature isattracted by its magnet and caused to rotate on its pivot 87 as will bepresently explained in detail. The plates 90 carry a beam 110 to whichthe armatures 86, which in effect are latches, are pivotally secured,and. springs 111 are mounted on the carrier 13 and extend over andengage Rollers 93 (Figs. 2-6) are journaled beam 110 to normally forceit and plates 90 and parts carried thereby toward the needlebars.

Above and in alinement with needlebars 10 is a plate or beam 112 fixedlysecured on extensions 113, of guide rails 15, such beam or plate servingas an abutment to return any of said bars to normal position after suchbar or bars has been idle.

From the foregoing and by reference to Figs.

2-4 it will be seen that each time the carrier.

13 descends the plates 92 descend and the latter exert a pull throughbolts 91 on plates 90 which causes the rollers 93 to ride out of thearcuate' seats 95 and downwardly against the edges of guides 96 so thatthe latches 86 will be swung outwardly from the position of Fig. 4 tothe position of Fig. 6 which illustrates one of the hooks 109 engaging ahead 107 of one of the pins 106 which pin has been pulled away from theshoulder 101 of the needlebar so that the downward force of the carrierwas not transmitted to that needlebar and the needle therefor did notpierce the cloth to form a loop. This happened because the contact 78which is in circuit with the particular magnet controlling the armaturewas engaging the sheet 74 through an opening 76 to close the circuit toenergize the magnet and cause it to attract the armature 86 wherebyit'moved to the doted line position of Fig. 4 which placed the hook inengagement with the head 107 of the pin. The parts will remain in suchposition and will function as above on the downward stroke of head 13 aslong as the circuit is closed, but as soon as the contact 78 engagessheet 75 again the armature will drop to its full line position when thecarrier rises and rollers 93 again seat in recesses 95 and the hook willbe released from engagement with the head 107 so that the spring 108will be again effective to return and maintain the pin 106 on shoulder101 of therbar 11 to lock said bar to the carrier whereby the motion andchine.

force of the carrier 13 will be applied to bar 11 and move the needlethrough the fabric. The number of needlebars thus controlled and theduration of their disconnection depends on the pattern or openings onthe controlling cylinder 74.

In Fig. 9, I have illustrated a modification of the mechanism foractuating the needlebar latches and wherein 83 designates theelectromagnet adiacent the core of which is mounted the armature 115carried by the non-magnetic plate 116 and to which is attached a hook117 engaging an eye 118 on thelatch 119, which corresponds to the latch86, and pivoted intermediate its ends on the rod 87' similar to the rod87 of Fig. 4. A hook 109 is formed on the end of latch 119. The rod 87'is carried by a support 120 pivoted at 121 to the angle iron 122supported on a portion of the frame of the ma- The angle iron 122 alsosupports an upright 123 through which extends an elongated rod 124having a hook 125 to cooperate with the hook 109. In this embodiment ofthe invention the rod 124 is preferably of sufiicient length to enablelocation of the latch operating mech anism further back from the head 13in which is mounted aneedlebar 11' of the same construction as disclosedin connection with Figs. 46.' The head 13' carries a member 126 havingin its rear face an arcuateseat or cam face 127 against which isnormally seated a roller 128 rotatably secured by studs 129 to links130, one end of the links being pivotally connected at 131 to thesupport 120, and the other end being provided with a slot 132 intowhich-extends a pin 133 which is fixedly secured to the fixed upright134. A spring 135 is secured to the link 130 and to the upright 134 andnormally tends to=pu1l the link 130 toward the upright 134 to maintainthe link in the position shown in Fig. 9 with the pin engaging the endof the slot nearest the support 120. A spring 136 is secured between therod 124 and the carrier or head 13' and normally tends to pull the rod124 toward the carrier 13' so that the latch pin 137 which is pivotallysecured at 138 to the rod 124 will be maintained in the position shownin, Fig. 9 against the shoulder on and adjacent the upperend of theneedlebar 11' to latch the bar to the frame 13 for movement therewith sothat the needle will pierce the fabric.

The apparatus disclosed in Fig. 9 operates in the following manner. Whenthe head 13' descends, the member 126 moves therewith and the cam faceor seat 127 pushes against the roller 128 which moves with the link 130backwardly and thereby oscillates the support 120 on its pivot 121 sothat the latch 119 is carried backwardly. Obviously, and bearing in mindthe description of the other embodiment of the invention, if theelectro-magnet 83' is energized it will attract the armature 115 andthrough the hook 117 will rock the latch 119 on its pivot 8'7 to movethe hook 109' into engagement with the hook 125 so that when the member120 oscillates on its pivot 121 as the head 13' descends the rod 124will be pulled back and will remove the latch pin 137 from the shoulderof the needle bar whereupon the needlebar will idle andjthe needle willnot pierce the fabric to form a loop on the underside thereof. However,as long as the magnet 83' is not energized the hook 125 will not beengaged by the hook 109' and the needlebar will belatched to the head orcarrier 13 to pierce the fabric and form loops as the head reciprocates.It will be understood support 120 can oscillate or tilt backwardly asfar as permitted by the pin 133 and slot 132. It should also be readilyseen that when the latch 109 is released by the electro-magnet andassociated mechanism the spring 136 will be ef-- fective to pull the rodtoward the carrier 13' and slide the latch 137 through its openingtherein into locking engagement with the shoulder of the needlebar.

What I claim is 1. In a machine of the character described, a carrierfor a plurality of needlebars, means releasably latching the needlebarsindividually to the carrier for collective movement therewith, a bed.for fabric meanS for reciprocating said carrier transversely to theplane of the bed, and means operable by movement of said carrier forunlatching one or more of the needlebars to prevent needles carriedthereby from piercing the fabric on the bed when the carrierreciprocates.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein means independent of said latchingmeans slidably hold the needlebars inv position on the carrier.

3. The structure of claim l wherein means independent of said latchingmeans slidably hold the needlebars in position on the carrier and anabutment for alining the ends of the needlebars is disposed in the pathof, movement of the needlebars. I

4. In a multiple needle sewing machine for tufting fabrics, a carrierfor a plurality of needlebars, means releasably latching the needlebarsindividually to the carrier, a plurality of loop receiving members,means for reciprocating said carrier to force the latched needlesthrough the fabric to form loops, means for moving said members to catchthe loops, feeding mechanism to move the fabric, and-means controlled bymovement of said feeding mechanism to unlatch selected needlebars fromthe carrier to form untufted areas on the fabrics.

5. In a-multiple needle sewing machine for tufting fabrics and includinga bed over which fabric is disposed, a needlebar carrier mounted toreciprocate transversely to the plane of the bed, a plurality ofneedlebars loosely mounted on the carrier, means for locking saidneedlebars to the carrier for movement therewith to penetrate fabric onthe bed, means normally urging said locking means into lockingengagement with the bars, and electrically operated means in connectionwith the locking means for each needlebar for selectively movingselected locking means for locking engagement with one or more of theneedlebars.

6. The structure of claim wherein the electrically controlled meanscomprises an electromagnet, an armature adjacent the core of the magnet,a-catch movable by said armature into engagement with the needlebarlocking means, a pivoted support for the catch, and means for moving theportionof saidsupport supporting said catch away from the carrier whenthe care rier moves toward the bed, said electro-magnet when energizedestablishes a connection between the latching means and the pivotedsupport for movement together.

7. In a multiple needle sewing machine including a frame and a bed toreceive fabric to be stitched, a reciprocating needlebar carriersupported on said frame above the bed,-a plurality ofneedlebars mountedsaid carrier,-

means for establishing the needlebars in locked relation to the carrierfor movement therewith and in unlocked relation to permit relativemovement between the carrier and selected needlebars, said meanscomprising a member engageable with the carrier and needlebar, meansnormally urging said member into engagement with the needlebar tolockthe same to the carrier for movement therewith, a movable support, aplurality of pivoted latches on said support, an electro-magnet formoving each of said latches on its pivot, means between said latches andmembers for connecting them when the electro-magnet is energized, andmeans operable by movement of the carrier toward the bed for moving saidlatch support and latches away from the needlebars.

8. In a multiple needle sewing machine for tufting fabrics, a carrierfor a plurality of needlebars, means individually and releasably lockingthe needlebars to the carrier, means for reciprocating said carrier toforce the needles in the latched needlebars through a fabric to formloops, a plurality of loop receiving members, means for moving saidmembers in the path of movement of the needles to catch the loops formedthereby, means for selectively releasing the locking means to make theneedles associated therewith ineffective to pierce the fabric, and meansfor collectively moving said locking means away from the needlebars.

9. The structure of claim 8 wherein said means for selectively releasingthe locking means are operable by electro-magnets, and the means forcollectively moving said locking means is operable by movement of thecarrier.

10. In a multiple needle sewing machine for tufting fabrics, a carrierfor a plurality of needlebars, means releasably locking the needlebarsindividually to the carrier, means for reciprocating said carrier toforce needles in the locked needlebars through a fabric to form loops, aplurality of loop receiving members, means for moving said members tocatch the loops, a plurality of electrically controlled membersselectively engageable with each of the locking means, a support forsaid members, and cam means operable by reciprocating movement of thecarrier to move said support and 'members away from the needlebars torelease said latching means when said members are in engagementtherewith.

11. In a machine of the character described, a reciprocating carrier fora plurality of needlebars, means normally locking each of the needlebarsto the carrier for movement therewith, means engageable with said firstmeans for withdrawing said locking means to unlock selected needlebarsfrom the carrier, electro-magnets for actuating said second means,feeding mechanism for moving the fabric, and a pattern controllingmember operable by said feeding mechanism for selectively energizingsaid electro-magnets.

12. In a multiple needle sewing machine for tufting fabrics, a carrierfor a plurality of needlebars, means releasably latching the needlebarsindividually to the carrier, means for reciprocating said carrier towardand away from the fabric to move the latched needles through the fabric,a'rotatable drum, a pattern sheet secured to the drum for rotationtherewith, means to rotate the drum, a plurality of members yieldablyurged towards said drum, and a connection between each of said membersand the means releasably latching each of the needlebars to selectivelyunlatch said needles.

13. In'a multiple needle sewing machine, a carrier for a plurality ofneedlebars, means releasably latching the needlebars individually to thecarrier, means to reciprocate the carrier toward and away from a fabricto move the latched needles through the fabric, a movable pattern form,a plurality of members yieldably urged toward said form, there being onemember corresponding to each of said needlebars, and a connectionbetween each of said members and the means releasably latching each ofthe needlebars to selectively unlatch said needlebars according to theformations on the pattern form. Y

14. Needle controlling mechanism for machines of the character describedcomprising a movable pattern form, members normally urged intoengagement with said pattern form, a carrier for a plurality ofneedlebars, means releasably latching said needlebars to said car-.rier, and a connection between each of said members and said latchingmeans to selectively. unlatch said needlebars as determined by saidpattern form;

' ERSKINE E. BOYCE.

